City authorizes study of traffic lights

Talk about it

The timing of the traffic lights along First Avenue and along 10th Street will come under scrutiny this summer. The Jamestown City Council awarded Midwest Traffic Consulting of Lakeville, Minn. a contract for $21,635 to study the downtown traffic patterns during its regular meeting Monday.

“The intent is an analysis of the L-shaped area of 10th and First to develop timing systems for the traffic lights,” said Reed Schwartzkopf, city engineer.

Schwartzkopf said the study might also lead to a need to replace the control units of the traffic lights as funding allows. Currently the only company that provides service for the units is in Iowa.

The contract for the study does not include an estimated $9,000 to $12,000 necessary to establish the counts and timing of the vehicle traffic on the streets. The city will pay that cost separately.

The City Council tabled action on bids received for the water and sewer service to the Titan Machinery building under construction west of Jamestown Regional Medical Center. The location is part of a territory dispute between Jamestown and Stutsman Rural Water District.

“My recommendation is to award bids at a later time,” said Jamestown Mayor Katie Andersen. “Right now, we are not sure how to proceed. We received a proposal (from Rural Water) last Thursday, it is now being reviewed by attorneys.”

The bids for the water and sewer project had been divided into three options, Andersen said. One portion is the sewer line while the other two are water lines. The first segment of the water line would deliver water to the Titan Machinery area and might be used for a fire hydrant. The second option loops the water line providing redundant service to the area and might be used if Jamestown is supplying all water needs of Titan.

Engineer’s estimates for the sewer component of the project are about $560,000 while the two water line components are estimated at about $650,000. The city could award bids for one, two or all three components of the project but must act no later than March 30.

The City Council also confirmed appointments to numerous boards.

Doris Giedt, Neil Barkus, Harvey Schuh, Harold Bensch, Darrell Losing and Lisa Motacek were appointed to the Board of Adjustment.

Charlie Kourajian and Ray Albrecht were appointed to the Stutsman County Weed Board.

Blaine (Pat) Stockert, Clyde Schwmautz, Trent Hillerud and Scott Roemmich were appointed to the Fire Code Board of Appeals.

Gary Riffe, Barbara Laraway and Roger Parsons were appointed as city members of the James River Valley Library System Board.

Ramone Gumke was appointed to the Law Enforcement Center Governing Board.

John Gletne and Gumke were appointed to the Pension Committee.

Lindsey Novak, Bob Martin, Sandy Eckelberg and Kourajian were appointed to the Shade Tree Committee. One unfilled vacancy remains on this board.

Gumke was appointed to serve on the South Central Dakota Regional Council.

The mayor and City Council were appointed as members of the Storm Water Committee.

The city administrator, city engineer, building inspector, engineering technician II and public works chairperson were appointed as the Storm Water Subcommittee.

In other business, the City Council heard the first reading of two zoning changes. One changed Lot 2 of Berndt Addition, located near the Anne Carlsen Center, from industrial to public, open development and conservation or POC.

The second ordinance changed the zoning of Lots 1 and 2, Block 4, Hi-Acres Hillcrest Addition, from R-1 or single-family residential to POC.

Both zoning changes will receive their second reading at the April City Council meeting.

Sun reporter Keith Norman can be reached at 701-952-8452 or by email at knorman@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news